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Big inning lifts YSU baseball past Canisius
Penguin baseball team uses big inning to defeat Canisius at Eastwood Field
By CURTIS PULLIAM
NILES
As much as he didn’t want to, Brent Gillespie knew had to be patient.
His patience paid off in the fifth inning as the Penguins scored three runs in the inning to lead them past the Canisius Golden Griffins 4-1 at Eastwood Field.
Gillespie had an RBI single to make it a 3-1 game.
“We had a better approach that inning,” Gillespie said. “We were rolling over the ball too much. We understood that they were trying to beat us with the off-speed.”
With a man in scoring position Gillespie was expecting the slider he got from Zachary Sloan.
“He walked me before so I had gotten to see all of his pitches,” Gillespie said. “I had good confidence going in and he threw the slider again and kept it over the plate a little bit.”
Gillespie helped the Penguins’ last run score when he got in a rundown between first and second. Alex Core touched home before Gillespie was tagged out.
The rally started with one out when Frank Califano reached first by sliding and beating out a bunt attempt.
Califano decided to slide based on where the first baseman’s foot was on the base.
“I just slid and got under the tag,” Califano said. “It was the only thing I could do, I don’t want to run into the tag so the least I could do was make an effort.”
Penguins coach Steve Gillispie was pleased with Califano’s heads-up play.
“He’s been exactly what we thought he’d be,” Gillispie said. “He’s that prototypical leadoff guy. He’s the guy that sets the table for the middle of the order.”
The Penguins (8-17) received a solid pitching performances from five pitchers to hold the Golden Griffins to seven hits.
“We thought we needed to get some guys out there to get them prep for the weekend,” Gillispie said.
Joe King started the game for the Penguins and gave up one run on four hits.
“Joe had some short rest in some outings that he had last week,” Gillispie said. “We didn’t want to run his pitch count up too high.”
Jared Wight earned the win in one inning of work and Anthony Konders picked up his second save of the season. Sloan got the loss.
“It’s been a strength for us,” said Gillispie of the bullpen. “There are some guys that are pretty confident right now.”
The YSU bullpen was well-rested from having a few days off because of the holiday.
The Penguins took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Califano walked and advanced to third on a single by Jason Shirley.
Alex Larivee hit into a fielder’s choice to drive home Califano.
The Golden Griffins (14-18) tied the game in the third on a sacrifice fly by Connor Panas.
The win gives the Penguins a three-game winning streak. They play at Pittsburgh today but more importantly this weekend against conference rival Wright State.
“We don’t really like them too much,” Brent Gillespie said. “We are excited to take this game and a quality game Wednesday into the weekend.”